Kyodo News Digest: May 16, 2025

Kyodo News

16-05-2025

KYODO NEWS - 2 hours ago - 23:05 | All, Japan, World
The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.
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Japan Jan.-March GDP shrinks for 1st time in 1 yr amid weak spending
TOKYO - Japan's economy shrank an annualized real 0.7 percent in the January-March period, the first contraction in a year, government data showed Friday, underscoring that domestic demand was sluggish even before higher U.S. tariffs took full effect.
In the first quarter of 2025, real gross domestic product, adjusted for inflation, declined 0.2 percent from the October-December period, as weak consumer spending amid inflation and increased import costs weighed on growth, the Cabinet Office said.
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New Japan law allows preemptive defense of infrastructure cyberattack
TOKYO - Japanese parliament on Friday enacted a law to allow preemptive acts of cyberdefense, giving the government the ability to legally monitor communications data during peacetime and to neutralize hostile servers in the event of an attack.
The "active cyberdefense" law will oblige operators of key infrastructure, such as those in the electricity and railway sectors, to report cyber breaches to the government.
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Stores to get priority on gov't rice stockpiles to ease prices faster
TOKYO - The Japanese government pledged Friday to set aside a quota of its stockpiled rice for supermarkets and other retailers, in an effort to accelerate distribution and help consumers benefit from lower prices more quickly.
Of the 300,000 tons of reserve rice to be released over three months through July, 60 percent will be allocated to retailers. To encourage broader participation from distributors in the auctions, the buyback deadline will be extended from one year to five years.
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Human remains found at Japan defense force jet crash site
TOKYO - The Air Self-Defense Force said Friday that human remains were discovered at a large reservoir in central Japan where an ASDF training jet carrying two personnel crashed earlier this week, possibly those of a missing crew member.
The accident occurred shortly after the T-4 jet took off from Komaki Air Base in Aichi Prefecture on Wednesday afternoon, leaving both crew members missing, according to the ASDF.
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Scandal-hit Fuji Media logs 1st net loss since 1997 listing
TOKYO - Fuji Media Holdings Inc. on Friday reported a net loss of 20.13 billion yen ($138 million) for the last fiscal year, its first red ink since the firm was listed in 1997, amid a sexual misconduct scandal involving famed former TV host Masahiro Nakai.
The loss in the year ended March 31 was a sharp swing from a net profit of 37.08 billion yen a year earlier.
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Japan's Defense Ministry asked to launch office on UFOs, anomalies
TOKYO - Japan's Defense Ministry was urged to set up an office tasked with tackling UFOs at a meeting with a cross-party group of lawmakers on Friday.
The group, chaired by former Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, handed a proposal to the current defense chief, describing such sightings -- formally referred to as unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP -- as realistic and serious national security concerns.
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Baltic Pavilion calls for return of stolen Osaka expo mascot figure
OSAKA - The Baltic Pavilion at the World Exposition in Osaka said Friday that its display of the expo's official mascot, Myaku-Myaku, was stolen from the reception area, prompting officials to call for the return of the character figure that has gone viral among visitors.
"Very sadly, hardworking Myaku-Myaku at the Baltic Pavilion suddenly disappeared. Any idea where Myaku-Myaku is now?" Lithuanian Ambassador to Japan Aurelijus Zykas said on social media as his country is showcasing exhibits in the pavilion with Latvia.
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Japan enacts laws to introduce digital arrest warrants by FY 2026
TOKYO - Japan's parliament on Friday enacted bills to introduce digital arrest warrants and other documents related to criminal procedures by March 2027, signaling a major shift in the country's investigation processes that are predominantly carried out in person and documented on paper.
The revisions of laws including the Code of Criminal Procedure are expected to ease the burden on investigators who currently must be physically present at court to apply for and receive warrants. Under the revisions, the slips can be requested and received online and executed by displaying them on tablet devices.
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